


Keep Me Warm One Night

by elaine



Category: due South
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 1999-04-22
Updated: 1999-04-22
Packaged: 2019-04-26 13:47:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14403414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elaine/pseuds/elaine
Summary: Fraser's injury affects everyone close to him.This story was originally published in a zine.





	Keep Me Warm One Night

 

"Ray?"

His only answer was an indistinct mutter. He knew he was too cold, even though he wasn't shivering any more. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that was a bad sign, but it was difficult to muster enough coherent thought to decide what he should do about it.

"Ray? Ray, I'm cold..."

The body beside his stirred. "What?"

"I'm... I'm..." He couldn't even find the words now.

A muffled curse and a flurry of movement told him Ray must be fully alert now. Or, at least, partially alert... A hand touched his, and flinched away. It fumbled over his face and drew back. "Jeez, you're freezing."

It was only then that he realised it was dark. Completely dark. He couldn't see a thing. Or perhaps he'd gone blind. The back of his head hurt abominably, though not as badly as his thigh. He sighed and closed his eyes. Colours danced behind his eyes. Did that mean he wasn't blind after all?

The hand was back, shaking his shoulder. "Fraser? Stay with me here. Are you hurt?"

He tried to answer, but couldn't. Only a groan came out of his mouth. Ray's hands were moving carefully over his body. They reached his left thigh, and stopped. Moved a bit further... he screamed.

"Jeez, Fraser... there's blood everywhere."

Ah. That would explain the coldness, and the dizziness he felt even though he was lying down... The hands were at his chest now, pulling at his uniform. Now what? Oh. The lanyard. That was good thinking. He'd need a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. Ray knew what he was doing. Everything would be all right.

The next few minutes were rather unpleasant, but then it was over. He let himself drift as the pain settled to a dull throbbing. A hand slapped his cheek. "Come on Fraser. Don't die on me now. Wake up."

Something was tucked around him but it wasn't enough to warm him. Nothing would ever warm him again. Not even Ray. The thought brought with it a vague pain and he frowned. "Cold."

"I know, I know. Hang on." Ray settled down beside him, pressed close against his side. Body heat. Of course. He'd offered to share body heat with Ray, once, in the meat packing plant, but Ray had refused. That was before... He frowned. They had... hadn't they?

"Ray?"

"Yeah?" Ray's breath was warm, for a moment, on his cheek.

"They shot the other leg, Ray..." He giggled, but Ray was silent. "Are... are you..." he paused to gather the words together, "...mad at me?"

"Mad? Why should I be? I was the one got us into this. For a change."

He couldn't even remember how it had happened. "Call me Frase..." It was becoming difficult to speak. "When you're..."

"No, I d..." Ray fell silent for a moment. "I'm not mad, OK?"

There was a long pause then.

"Benny?" Ray's voice was rather hesitant.

He felt ridiculously happy. "Yes, Ray?" His voice was slurred.

"Nothing. Don't go to sleep, OK?"

"No, Ray."

He nearly did, though. Not just once, but several times. Ray kept waking him. He was still cold, though not as cold as before. Ray was holding him in his arms. It felt good to be held in strong, wiry arms against that slender body. So good. He sighed. "Ray? Why'd we wait so long?"

"Wait for what?"

The effort of producing a whole sentence had nearly exhausted him. "Lovers..." He stroked Ray's chest lightly with his fingers.

Ray took hold of his hand. Ray's fingers felt warm against his own. "I dunno... Benny... why don't you tell me?"

"Mmm." He listened, distantly, to the beating of Ray's heart.

"Fraser! Benny... talk to me."

" 'm tired..."

"I know. You gotta talk, Benny. Someone's gonna come for us. You gotta stay awake for them, OK? So talk."

The insistence in Ray's voice penetrated the fog in his brain. "All righ'..."

"All right! Talk about something. Tell me an Inuit story. Anything."

"You hate..." a weak giggle shook his body. "Sometimes I make 'em up Ray..."

Ray sighed. "That figures. Tell me one anyway."

He knew Ray didn't really want to hear a story. Ray was just afraid he'd... "I won' die, Ray... I won' leave you..." Something painful stirred in his mind. "I won' ever..."

"Good. You just remember that, huh?"

"Ray?" The pain seemed to be spreading. His chest hurt with holding it in. "You won' ever... you won', will you?"

"No, I won't leave you, Benny. Not ever." Ray's fingers brushed lightly over his hair.

He sighed. "...love you..." He felt weightless, floating above the pain.

Ray's voice followed him into the darkness.

The next time he woke sirens were screaming, and lights flashing against his closed eyelids. He groaned and the sound was muffled by something pressing against his face. He panicked for a moment, and then a hand touched his cheek.

"Benny?"

Ray. It was Ray... and he'd been hurt again. He recognised the siren now, and the hospital smell. The world swayed sharply for a moment. An ambulance. And an oxygen mask over his mouth... and Ray. But...

He forced his eyes open. And saw not the face of his lover, but the blond, spiky hair, and the pale, delicate features of his friend and partner, Ray Kowalski.

*

"Ray?" He hesitated in the doorway, his eyes travelling from the sleeping man in the chair to the sleeping man in the hospital bed.

Perhaps he should just leave. Ray looked exhausted, but then, from what he'd heard, it seemed Ray had spent most of the night in some kind of trap, and the rest of it waiting for his partner to come through surgery.

Constable Fraser lay perfectly still. Too still. But the monitors showed a steady enough heartbeat. His duty fulfilled, he turned his attention back to the slender man in the chair, who was stirring now, and waited. After a moment, Ray's eyes opened and fell on him. He smiled.

A quick breath, and Ray lurched to his feet and stretched, then came over to him. His usual nervous energy had abandoned him, not surprisingly, but he smiled and they hugged.

"Jeez, Renny... I'm so tired."

He could feel the tiredness in his lover's body. He threw a quick glance over his shoulder towards the hallway. He was in uniform after all. But there was nobody passing, so he risked a quick kiss and a murmured endearment. Afterwards, Ray leaned against him as if reluctant, or too weary, to move away.

"Are you all right, Ray?" That was what he really wanted to know, though he'd been sent here to check on his fellow officer.

A huge yawn shook Ray's body, but he nodded. "Just a crack on the head. Fraser got the worst of it."

"They said he lost a lot of blood. The artery was nicked." He smiled proudly at Ray. "They said you saved his life."

"I guess." Ray looked uncomfortable. "I'm not sure it was me though..."

"Oh, fiddlesticks." He raised his eyebrows, a trick he'd learned, unconsciously, from Constable Fraser. "You were the only one there, Ray."

But Ray simply looked troubled, so he kissed his lover again, not even bothering to check for passers-by this time. Ray's arms slid around his waist, but he was watching the hospital bed.

"He thought I was Vecchio. So I played along. I was scared, you know... he was drifting in and out... he was really bad. They're lovers, did you know that?"

"Well… ah…" He blushed, discomforted to be caught out in a prevarication, even one of omission. "I'd guessed. They were very discreet." He rubbed Ray's suddenly tense back soothingly.

"And you didn't tell me? I'm supposed to be impersonating Vecchio, and nobody tells me something like that?" Ray glared at him.

He touched his fingers to Ray's lips. "Shush, Ray. You'll wake him." He smiled, a naughty gleam in his eyes. "I didn't want to put any unsuitable ideas in your head."

Ray's glare melted into a grin. "You think that's why Welsh didn't tell me? Maybe he wants my butt too."

"Well, he can't have it." He patted the butt in question tenderly. "I don't think anybody actually knows, Ray. They may suspect."

"Oh, Renny..." Ray leaned against him again. "He asked me... Vecchio... not to leave him. Not ever to leave him... How could Vecchio do that, huh? How could he?"

He hugged his lover tightly; knowing that Ray had a definite vulnerability in that area. "It was his duty, Ray." He nodded towards the still figure in the bed. "He understands that."

"Well, I don't. I'd never have walked out on Stella like that. I wouldn't do it to you, either."

He waited, knowing what would come next.

"You wouldn't do it, would you? Leave like that, without a word?"

The forlornness in his lover's voice made his heart ache. He met the pale blue eyes squarely. "No, Ray. I'd never leave you."

*

"Ray?"

He opened his eyes, struggling out of a nightmare full of darkness and blood. And cold. He shivered. Beside him, in the dimly lit room, his lover watched him anxiously.

"I'm all right." He smiled, unconvincingly he supposed, and Renny lay down again, and wrapped long arms around him. They lay in silence, and he thought about how lucky he was to have his lover here, with him, on a night like this. A night too full of memories and another man's pain he felt as keenly as if it was his own.

Gentle fingers stroked his cheek, enticing him to turn his head. When he did his lover's warm mouth covered his own, while the fingers continued their caress. He was tired... hadn't slept at all today, though he'd been sent home in the early afternoon. He hadn't wanted to sleep alone, but even with Renny there, the nightmares came. Fraser's pain haunted him, too much like his own when Stella had left him. Even Renny couldn't drive that away.

He was trying though. Renny had driven away so much of his pain, but this was too fresh, too raw... it would take time. Renny knew it too, but he couldn't stand by and watch, so he tried. And just the trying was enough to heal a little bit of the pain. He rolled onto his side and pressed closer to the large, warm body.

People wondered how he could love Renny, but they didn't know him. How could he not love Renny? The Mountie was as loving, loyal, and eager to please as a Labrador puppy. Sometimes, like a puppy, he tried too hard and made himself look silly, but that only made him more lovable. And here, in bed, Renny didn't have to try too hard... he knew what to do, and he knew he was wanted.

The slow, sweet kisses made him ache with longing, but he didn't have the energy to make love, and after a while he rolled onto his back again with a sigh. Renny followed him, his lips and tongue continuing their work. He groaned softly.

Renny's head lifted slightly. "Let me do this for you, my love. Just lie still." His voice was tender and husky.

"Oh, yeah..." He closed his eyes and tilted his head invitingly.

Soft, warm kisses drifted across his cheek, and his earlobe was sucked gently. A tongue investigated the curves of his ear and brushed along the vein throbbing in his neck. Hot breath played across his throat and the sensitive skin was delicately sucked. Oh God.... He wondered if all Mounties were like this. A fingertip tenderly circled his nipple, inducing it to harden immediately.

The mouth moved with excruciating slowness over his shoulder. He knew where it was going and that only increased the exquisite torture of waiting. Finally, his aching nipple was enveloped in a moist embrace and he remembered to breathe. A long shuddering sigh escaped him.

It seemed to please his lover. First one nipple then the other was lovingly stroked and sucked and nibbled until his body arched off the bed in its attempts to press closer to the source of his pleasure. Strong, gentle hands caressed him, soothing his restless movements while the mouth continued its work. His ribs were traced, one by one with broad strokes of that resourceful tongue, almost distracting him from the subtle graze of fingers along the inside of his thigh. His belly heaved with another long overdue breath.

Renny was making small, appreciative noises as he progressed slowly downwards. Another languid caress brought that magical tongue to a purposeful circumnavigation of his navel. He shivered suddenly as it swiped across the surface of his belly button... and to think he'd been embarrassed, as a kid, to have an 'outie'... He began to laugh helplessly.

His lover looked up quickly and shared a grin. God how he loved Renny... he ruffled the already disordered hair and stroked his flushed cheek. The sandy head lowered to his belly and gave him quick, sucking kiss that would leave a mark, just below the navel. Renny didn't do that often, and it always sent a jolt of desire through him when it happened. He groaned again, eager now, for what would surely come.

But it wasn't coming anytime soon... His belly was kissed and licked with all the thoroughness of a cat grooming itself, and his cock, trembling into fullness, was completely ignored. Renny's head disappeared between his legs as his inner thighs were given the same painstaking treatment. Desire was making its less than subtle demands now, and he was shivering in the warm air of the apartment. Renny had insisted on turning the heat up, after he'd described the coldness that was his most distinct memory of last night. Now he was glad of it.

"Renny..." It came out almost unrecognisably, and he moaned in distraction. He needed to tell...

But the slow advance continued, up the inside of his thigh, along the sensitive crease of his groin, and stopped, poised above his semi-erect cock. Their eyes met.

"Please!" The single word burst out of him.

Renny smiled, and ran the tip of his tongue slowly across his lower lip. Oh, God... It seemed to take an eternity for his lover's head to lower again to his groin. An infinity of time for the delectable pink tongue to slide between parted lips and along the length of his cock, almost to the tip. But not quite... again and again, the firm stroke fell short of his cockhead until he was ready to scream with frustration.

Finally, his lover relented. With a tiny smile, Renny soothed the throbbing flesh with a delicate flicker of his tongue and a gentle kiss. His cock slid easily into the warm haven and was surrounded by wetness. It was beyond pleasure, beyond hunger to be held like this. Renny's teeth gripped him with exquisite caution, then loosened enough to allow him to move. His cock was cushioned between soft lips, sucked with tender care, and released into the firm grasp of Renny's fingers.

He wanted to howl with delight and thrust mindlessly into oblivion. He wanted to ride the crest of his hunger and need until he could forget all the pain and all the loneliness he'd ever known. He wanted, desperately, to lose himself, to make it through this one night in the sanctuary of exhausted sleep and his lover's arms.

Instead, he pulled Renny up into his arms. Their eyes met from a distance of only a few inches.

"Fuck me... fuck me, Renny..."

The blue eyes examined him cautiously and Renny gave a tiny nod. He waited impatiently as his lover moved away, reaching for the condoms and the lube. Waited, heart pounding, for the touch of those gentle fingers, preparing him. It was still strange to him, to feel that. They'd done this less than a handful of times. But when Renny's hands spread his thighs and folded his legs back across his body, he cooperated almost indifferently. Then his lover slid home and his apathy melted away before the incredible sensation of being possessed.

This was what he wanted... what he needed so desperately. The emptiness inside him filled. The loneliness driven out. The certainty that this one man would stay with him, would keep him... tonight and every night, standing between him and the darkness. Would love him, and never, ever leave him... Heat burst from him, spattering wetly against his body. Above him his lover groaned and faltered, collapsing across his chest.

He was drifting, his only tie to reality the warm body beside him and a voice whispering love in his ear. Gratefully, he surrendered to the shelter of his lover's embrace.

 


End file.
